Jackals Journal- Weekly #26

Published on April 14, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


ELMIRA, NY - The Elmira Jackals, proud member of the ECHL, began their quest for the Kelly Cup last weekend in the North Division semifinals against the Reading Royals. The clubs split the first two games, each winning on home ice as the series returns to Elmira for Game Three Tuesday night.

Series M - Kelly Cup Playoffs North Division Semifinals #2 Elmira vs. #3 Reading Best-of-seven series tied 1-1

Friday, April 11 - v. READING (1-0 W) Att: 3,473 Shots: 34-29 REA PP: 0/5 PK: 5/5

BRUCE WATSON scored the lone goal of the playoff opener with 11:10 left in regulation to give the Jackals a 1-0 series lead. WATSON's goal came as he crashed the front of the net as CHRIS BUSBY let a drive go from the center point that caught WATSON, eluded Royals' goaltender DANNY TAYLOR, and trickled across the goal line for what stood as the only offense all night long. TAYLOR made 28 saves while JOEL MARTIN picked up his third post season shutout in stopping all 34 Royals shots.

Saturday, April 12th - @ READING (4-5 L ot) Att: 4,878 Shots: 44-21 REA PP: 1/5 PK: 3/8

The Royals scored five of the game's final six goals to even the series at a game apiece after the Jackals built a 3-0 lead after forty minutes. BROCK HOOTON finished off the rally with a shorthanded goal on a 2-on-1 break just 1:25 into overtime for the victory. BRUCE WATSON scored for a second consecutive game, giving Elmira its final lead of 4-3 at 8:37 of the final period. Reading's power play keyed the comeback in the third period with successive strikes on three man-up opportunities.

Jackals Bites: - Saturday's game in Reading marked the second time this year that the Jackals have blown a 3-0 lead enroute to a loss at Sovereign Center ...Including the playoffs, the Jackals have led in five of the seven games at Sovereign Center, but show just a 1-6 record in those contests...Friday's Game One win was witnessed by 3,473 fans, just 52 below the club's regular season average...JOEL MARTIN's shutout in Game One was the third of his playoff career (2 with Kalamazoo in 2005-06)...MARTIN's playoff shutout streak spanning back to last spring with Trenton ended at 103:54 when DANY ROUSSIN scored twenty-three seconds into the third period Saturday night...MARTIN stopped the first 59 shots he faced in the series...BRUCE WATSON has goals in each of the first two games of the playoffs after scoring just seven goals in 47 regular season contests...BENOIT DOUCET, the Jackals' leading scorer in the regular season, missed both games on the weekend with an eye injury, but is expected back for Game Three Tuesday...Former Jackals in Calder Cup playoff action in the American Hockey League: Kevin Ulanski (Milwaukee), Dan LaCosta (Syracuse), Bryan Rodney (Albany)...All three players are eligible to play for the Jackals once their AHL playoff season is complete...Elmira expects to get center Scott May and defenseman Tomas Kudelka from Binghamton (AHL) as the Senators failed to qualify for the post season.

Jackals Regular Season Leaders:

Goals - BENOIT DOUCET/PIERRE-LUC FAUBERT 31...Assists - DOUCET 52...

Points - DOUCET 83...PIM - CHAZ JOHNSON 250...Goalie Wins - JOEL MARTIN 27...

PPG - DOUCET 11...SHG - FULGHUM 4...GWG - ROBINS 6

Streaking into Game #3 of the Kelly Cup Playoffs: Goals - Bruce Watson 2 (2)...Points - Watson (2+0=2), Chris Busby (0+2=2), Brett Pilkington (0+3=3).

Jackals Amongst ECHL Playoff Leaders: Joel Martin - 2.47 goals against average (t-12th), 1 shutout (t-1st)...Bruce Watson - 1 game-winning goal (t-1st), .667 shooting percentage (2nd).

Jackals On the Air: All Kelly Cup playoffs games will air live on MAGIC FM (92.7/97.7) beginning with the Hill Top Inn Countdown to Face-Off 30 minutes prior to game time. A free audio stream and a pay-per-view video stream are available at www.jackalshockey.com. The team's weekly Coach's Show air on select Mondays throughout the playoffs as the schedule allows. Shows will air from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. on NewsTalk 1230/1450 live from O'Ryans Sports Bar & Grill, 159 Prescott Avenue - Elmira Heights. The next edition of the Coach's Show will be Monday, April 14th.

Tickets for all Jackals playoff games may be purchased in person at the Gray Street box office at First Arena (10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.), Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 722-3711, on-line at www.ticketmaster.com and by calling 734-PUCK (7825).

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